Eric Hayes

In the downtown business district, the Royal Oak Public Library is located in southern Royal Oak at 222 E. Eleven Mile Road, near the corner of Eleven Mile and Main Street. Its front door, on the south side, opens across the green from city hall and the police station. It is easily accessible from several principal routes including Woodward Avenue, I-75 and I-696.

The mission of the Royal Oak Public Library is to be an informational, intellectual, cultural and recreational resource for all people; to inspire the spirit, educate the mind, and be a center of community pride.

Royal Oak Public Library provides:

Downloadable eBooks

Early literacy opportunities which help prepare young children for school

Public Internet access and Wi-Fi

Programs and materials for job seekers

Rentable meeting rooms

Local history and genealogy resources

Lifelong learning resources and opportunities

Reading, viewing, and listening entertainment

Information needed to make informed decisions regarding health and lifestyle

Community resources and services

Assistance in how to find and evaluate information

Monthly e-newsletters featuring upcoming programs and services

Copying and faxing services

Some of these services are delivered in traditional formats such as library programs, print books and DVDs, while others are accessible 24/7 from home as databases, tutorials, and downloadable eBooks and audiobooks.

The Michigan Activity Pass program is designed to enhance the learning experience for people of all ages by providing reduced cost or complimentary access to arts and cultural organizations across the state of Michigan. Royal Oak Public Library cardholders may get free or discounted admission to almost 100 cultural attractions throughout Michigan.

For anyone wanting to get fit this summer, but find their budget is the leanest part of their lifestyle, a quick trip to Royal Oak Public Library for a free pass into MI Big Green Gym is the first step to getting started.

MI Big Green Gym is a partnership with Michigan Recreation and Park Association, the Department of Natural Resources, and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan. It is designed to show just how easy it is to get out, get active and get healthier. Lucky for Michigan residents, MI Big Green Gym is as close as their nearest state park or community recreation center – and is now available for free thanks to more than 400 community libraries participating in the program, including ROPL.

The DNR started the Park & Read program in 2010 as a way to provide free passes to state parks. Now, with support from Blue Cross, the program has been rebranded to promote outdoor fitness and provides free one-day passes into any state park, state forest campground or pathway, as well as includes family-friendly destinations at select community recreation facilities.

Passes allow one vehicle into a state park for one day, and with many parks offering free, into-to programs with all the gear and expertise provided through the Rec 101 program, that one day can lead to lifelong memories.

Passes are valid for seven days from check-out and can be used for day-use only, not for use at prearranged/ multiple person private gatherings, or overnight camping. The program is available May, 16 2014 through September 30, 2014 for the summer season.

Six masterpieces from the DIA’s collection are coming to Royal Oak this summer. Beginning June 29th, high-quality reproductions of paintings from the Detroit Institute of Arts’ collection will find a temporary outdoor home in locations around downtown. Each high-quality reproduction will be in the original size on Lumacore Vinyl mounted in weather proof ornate wood. Programs, both announced in advance and spontaneous, will be held by the Royal Oak Commission for the Arts in conjunction with the DIA. Previous programs in other communities have included docent-led walking and biking tours, musical shows, and talks at local libraries. This year, Inside|Out will feature a high-tech treasure hunt in which players try to locate hidden containers, called geocaches, placed near the reproductions using GPS-enabled devices.

The Royal Oak Public Library’s hours will be changing beginning the first week of June. The new library hours will be: Monday and Wednesday 10:00 AM – 9:00 PM; Tuesday and Thursday 12:00 noon – 9:00 PM; Friday and Saturday 10 AM:00 – 6:00 PM. This is a reduction of four hours - from the current 60 hours a week to 56. Additionally, in June library overdue fines will increase from 15 cents to 25 cents per day. Overdue fines can be avoided by renewing materials online, dropping them off 24/7 at the outside drop boxes, or renewing by phone during library hours at (248) 246-3700. The threshold for a library card being blocked because of outstanding fines will be changed from the current $10 to $5. The Royal Oak Public Library Board of Trustees voted to make these changes now to avoid the potential for more drastic cost saving measures in the future.

Visit OverDrive, where Royal Oak cardholders will find not only eBooks, but audiobooks for your tablet, smartphone and eReader. Audio book and eBook publishers include BBC Audiobooks America, Blackstone Audio, Books on Tape, Brilliance Audio, HarperCollins, Listening Library and McGraw-Hill.

What You Need

A Royal Oak Public Library card beginning with 29065.

A computer with Internet access. A computer is not necessary if you are using an Android or Apple tablet or smartphone.

Free software available on the OverDrive website. No extra software needed if you are using a Kindle eReader.

You can download eBooks directly to your Kindle Fire tablet using the browser on the device. If you have a Kindle eReader, you will need to use a computer to browse and checkout titles. Upon checkout on OverDrive, you will be redirected to Amazon.com and prompted to sign-in with your Amazon account. Make sure you sign in with the same account you used when setting up your Amazon Kindle.

No extra software is needed on your computer to transfer eBooks to your Kindle eReader.

Barnes & Noble Nook eReaders

You can transfer eBooks to your Barnes & Noble Nook using a computer to browse and checkout titles. Adobe Digital Editions software on your computer is needed to transfer titles to your Nook. Upon opening the Adobe Digital Editions software the first time, you will be prompted to create an Adobe ID. After you create your Adobe ID, open the Adobe Digital Editions software again and sign-in with the Adobe ID you just created. Your Nook must be activated using the same Adobe ID you use when you configure Adobe Digital Editions.

The Royal Oak Public Library is pleased to announce that wireless access to the Internet is now available in and around the Library! The wireless signal is accessible in all public areas of the Library and even outside in the courtyard, lawn and public seating to the Southwest of the library building. In addition, if you bring a laptop and Ethernet cable to the library, you may connect via one of the many Ethernet floor ports in the public areas of the Library. You will be asked to agree to abide by the terms of the Royal Oak Public Library Internet Access Policy.